People often tell us the same thing after spending time with the Donkeys.
“I feel really calm”
“I didn’t realise how tense I was until I wasn’t”
“I could have stood there all day”
They usually sound a bit surprised by it.
The donkeys aren’t doing anything special.
They aren’t performing or trying to be entertaining.
They’re just being donkeys.
They stand.
They eat.
They watch what’s going on without feeling the need to react to it.
When people arrive at the farm. they often arrive carrying a lot with them. Busy thoughts. Tight shoulders. That sense of being slightly behind before the day has even finished.
As the visit unfolds, something starts to ease. There’s laughter with the goats, feeding time with the alpacas and sheep, and the simple rhythm of being outdoors.
By the time people step into the donkey paddock, they are already a little quieter than when they arrived.
The donkeys meet them there.
They don’t mirror what’s left of that busyness.
They don’t rush to fill the space.
They stay exactly as they are.
Something about that steadiness seems to give people permission to soften a bit more. Conversations slow down. Movements become smaller. Breathing settles without anyone mentioning it.
There is no lesson being taught and nothng to tick off a list.
Just a quiet moment of being where you are.
We have noticed that when people meet the donkeys last on our tours, it makes a difference. They hold the calm and send people home with it.
They don’t fix anything.
They don’t offer advice.
They simply stay steady.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what people need.